Flexible tubing



March 4, 1958 G. L. MEYRS Em 2,325,365

FLEXIBLE TUBING 0MM Mm G. L. MEYERS ET AL March 4, 1958 FLEXIBLE TUBING 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 9, 1954 H Il INVENTOR GEORGE L. NEVE/25 we wy E TWMM wm mm Hc. r ,m CE v NN web. 4, E958 Filed Nov. 9, 1954 G. L. MEYERS ETAL 2,825,365

FLEXIBLE TUB ING 4 sheets-sheets I l l I TTOI KEYS.

AMarch 4, 1958 G. L.. MEYERS TAL 2,825,365

FLEXIBLE TUBING Filed Nov. 9, 1 .954 4 Sheets-Sheet e Mvcimw 5 AT1-Myne.

United States Patent FLEXIBLE TUBING George L. Meyers, Willoughby, John C. Shutt, Wickliife, and John E. Schriner, Willoughby, Ohio, assignors to The Eagle-Picher Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application November 19, 1949, Serial No. 128,306. Divided and this application November 9, 1954, Serial No. 467,761

6 Claims. (Cl. 13S-56) 'produced for use with such devices as vacuum cleaners,

defrosters for automobiles, air conditioning equipment, etc., and such tubing commonly comprises a helically wound wire reinforcing member and fabric wall material Wrapped about the same. In the case of vacuum cleaner hose the tubing thus produced may then be enclosed within an outer braided tube to provide increased resistance to wear as well as an improved ornamental appearance.

Y Tubing of this type is ordinarily manufactured by first winding the reinforcing wire about a mandrel on a lathe and then folding a long strip of fabric about such wirewrapped mandrel with the opposed edges of the fabric strip overlapping to form a longitudinal seam parallel to the axis of the mandrel. ven fabric, it has been found highly desirable that the same be cut on a bias in order that the finished product may have the desired flexibility required in use. It has consequently been standard practice to cut strips of cloth on a bias and to then tack the same together to form a long continuous strip which is wound on a reel for use as needed. Such fabric is commonly coated or impregnated with a rubber or equivalent composition which, when cured, is adapted to form a long-lived impervious wall for the tubing. described, a cord may then be wound about the wire and fabric wrapped mandrel with the turns of such cord lying between the turns of the wire in order to draw the fabric in toward the mandrel between the turns of wire and thereby produce a somewhat corrugated effect which will assist in retaining the wire helix in place in the finished product and also somewhat enhance the liexibility of the tubing. 'Ihe mandrel with the above-described elements thereon is now placed in a curing oven and, after curing, the cord may be unwound if desired and the finished tubing is stripped from the mandrel.

, There are a number of disadvantages in the abovedescribed method which, however, is the one now usually employed.

The operation of cutting the fabric into strips on a bias is an expensive and wasteful one, as is also the operation of then piecing such strips together. When applied to the mandrel, a series of bumps or ridges will appear at those points along the mandrel where the ends of the bias strip sections have been thus spliced together. The main seam or overlap which will run longitudinally along one side of the finished article also naturally interferes with flexing of the hose on the side toward such seam. During manufacture of the tubing care must be taken to see that the fabric overlaps uniformly throughout the length of the mandrel, and there is continual danger that such overlap will not be suicient in local regions. In fact, small pieces of tape are often employed to hold the overlapping fabric together at specied intervals along the mandrel until the outer cord When employing the usual wowrapping can be applied. Itis therefore a primary object of our invention to provide a method of manufacturing flexible tubing or hose of a type particularly adapted for use with vacuum cleaners and the like which will secure the advantages obtained by the use of bias cut fabric while employing strips of ordinary fabric material not cut on a bias.

Another object of our invention is to provide a flexible hose or tubing of the general type indicated above which will be uniform in appearance and equally flexible in all directions.

Still another object is to provide hose or tubing of the type in question which will have less tendency to kink in use than that now produced.

A further object is to provide such flexible tubing specially adapted to have a braided cover applied thereto having a smooth and uniform appearance.

A still further object is to provide novel apparatus for the production of such tubing which will be very rapid and substantially automatic in operation.

It is also an object to provide such apparatus having traveling winding mechanism adapted to be reversed for winding in either of two directions.

Other objects of this invention will appear as .the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the in' vention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of our novel apparatus including a lathe having novel winding mechanism mounted thereon;

After folding the strip about the mandrel as above j Fig. 2 is a view of such winding mechanism similar to that of Fig. l but on an enlarged scale; y

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical elevational view of such winding mechanism taken along the line 4-4 on Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the lower portion of such mechanism taken along the line 5 5 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing a portion of the mechanism broken away to illustrate the manner of reversing the same;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view in cross-section of the tape and string guide means;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view of the wire guide means;

Fig. 9 shows the finished tubing adapted to be produce on our new apparatus;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of an end tubing; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view n section showing the arrangement of the several component parts of such tubing.

portion of such' General construction of the` apparatus speed mechanism may be employed. Mounted on ways 3 and 4 and adapted to be adjustably positionedthere.- along is a stand 6 having a tail stocl; spindle 7 journalledl therein carrying a revolving center 8 at its end. Compress:

.sion spring -9 Yis .inserted'between bracketsltlof such stand Y and a collar 11 on such tail stock to facilitate the insertion.

:carriedfbythis-sarldle in. a'. manner fepiiin l below. i

way safnhsmainiathebed.(seeaig; 4i). Annpp dle 18 is mounted upon such upper ways fortrav .along i,ngassrmiationgE with' .rmainI or lower Asaddle lil.

P Vlengthsof continuous material on a mandrel-which anisgngnayrieadily befreversed so .that tffwill now I cord f are thenrwound on :mandrel '12 withVY the latterf-ov'er- Y lying the former as shown Fig. k4 and Fig. 141. f Y

Presser Vshoes'52'and 53 carrying Vpairs of rollersrSL'Y 54 and 55,V 55 respectively areadapted to'b'earagainst the mandrel to steady tlidaer. YShoes 52 and`53are v mounted in stranpdardq2n2,tor,freeiprocationV toward VVand Y away from mandreldl'nd 'nieansmis provided whereby j. snoe's sieiitenfdedme: otherv'vi1lant Y p"reai'ensiyV intimated-f vif-'is'l nejofl th invention to provide winding mechanism from gearV boxi is a rotatably-mounted reel` 20a-damente l plane; andcarrying'a'. supply-5f Wire It will beV seen fromthe:foregingthatexceptfor1certainf of the-specic details describedthelathe :which is adapted to ,constitute th'e foundation of, ourI novel-appa'- ratus Vmay be of general conventional,:constructiom-'so .that lathes Ynow generally Vemployed mayfrea'dily- .bem'odifled yfor usefin accordance withI our invention.

' The-winaf'njgf mechanism in sign-fha 'As previously "indicated, YWe Vprovidenovelvvfindin'gv mechanism adapted to be recprocated valong ways Y3 and f4 and Yways .l'fandllbysrneans of lead .screw 15.; 1 Y 1 Y .S'clltter'rnechanism comprisesV a supporting stand V2-2 bolted tsaddlllg and'having.an.upwardlylxtendingfarm 23 rigidlyconnectedtonpper saddleglS lsoglthatrsucl npperfs'ddl will t'raveljalong.waysl and 17 -as lower addlejiiravelsialong ways 3Vand4'. ""IW vertically i'nontedV spoolson-spindles -24 and 25 Vare -carried by such upper saddle'l' (Eig-n-the exact number of such spools or spindles being amatter of choice vas will .appefblwl upon which supplies of cottonlord Y ZadZTvvill have 'been wound., A guide membeniof Vgeneral Yyshape isrsuppite'd by an`upriglit 29'k on saddle 18; the long' arrn' 'ofs'ch Y extending at an YanglecandV terminating substantially 'directlyV .above madr e1 1 '25and leadlserewils. The t'wshbrt Aarins of such guidemefinber whchetermnateabove' therspetiv spooisranqgare' Vpierced with 'holesjthi'nglivhicliiheeodsi2 and 27g/are I respectively conducted to'v a/pairf. holes .in .thef oierhangzonttaxisf 32esuppciffeei by'bracke'fjas.' vSih bracket in turnis mounted on a s lide.34 movableiiiadiret'ion paralllftewys lrand 17 between gibs' 35- 'd'fora puraround horizontal guide pulley. 37 carried by braclefl's' esstadfzz. wire than Vpasses fhreughajperfdfafed stud Y39 and a perforated stud .40. at the' `e`nd of. arm'- 41.

sneu fm'f-is"pivoralymounted on stna'zzrfor' irritation 1;. Aabout the axis of stud 39 `and isprovided witl-adpnd- Ying 42`= d'apte'dfo f tje-lacked -in selected. position by.

ing a notable Vincrease in eiiency overv'prior art mecha'- nisms where it has been 'eess'ry'f' 'et'urn to"original Vst arting positi ssiiawthewad'agnie" aan' "artiesten i Sud* -gufes and .the .matinal feleclvviss dieet-teures Shawna mndremzfmaingfnem ne "gabbana-end er are; mehanismvwiu :be .adjusted assuma 'infpig shoe" V521retraet'ed'v :and slicey 53 i'itnde'd Disc;

Ilatter',

to, the. left to similarly-shift the position: er ine i611 "rif-talusY ipocate slide umounted-instandard 22' fo movement Y in a horizontal plane; the endof'arm '56 b rovdd Vwith a pin 61. naingin-mstimoaonswt 62 onsncnsiiafso;

in stand'22 Ypermitting a small amount of'play whereby' arms 42 and llmay'befrockedto position terminaly stud 40 properly VforV delivery of wire 21 to the rotating :man-` Y drelrlz. Y Y

por'tedfby the upper e'ids ofthe uprights k'coin'l'jrisingstantiard 22 and includes aprojecting portion 45 which. extends outwardly over mandrel 12. A'guide disc 46 is infc'nn't'ed` in-is'sil'eli projecting-member for rotation nin'Y a... lmiizont'aly .plne-aadhasa -slot l47- therein. .A guide. shoe 1481's adapted] tov bis adjustajbty.-posrinedalong snel; stand itself-g` provided with. generations. 49am 50, through lwhich Cords -26.. and .21 arez adapteddo A*be .conducted `and lilt'l'thru'gh which tape 31 passes.'V Such tape and thwus? socket .-i the-.underside oflslide on beforetlie operationmightbe'repeated.'V

f 6 ill' andLSS 'respectively referme supplyswo1fffapemnahe Hand1e757 is turned in Fing, 5 so that Slideaqz.

and roll of tape 31 will be in right-hand position as viewed in Fig. 3. The tape is drawn downwardly from the supply roll through slot 51 in guide disc 46, such disc of course being in the position shown in Fig. 5. The mandrel 12 may then be rotated a turn or two and the end of tape 31, which is ordinarily of fabric impregnated with an adhesive rubber composition adhered thereto. The cords 26 and 27 are now drawn down through the holes in the end of guide arm 3i) and holes 50 and 49 in disc 46 and attached to the outside of tape 31 on the mandrel by means of a small bit of adhesive tapeor the like.

Upon now operating the lathe mandrel 12 will be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 (see also Figs. 2 and 5) to wind the wire, tape yand cord thereon while saddle 13 and the winding mechanism carried thereby are caused to traverse from left to right along ways 3, 4 and 16, 17 through the action of lead screw 1S. The desired pitch of the several elements wound upon the mandrel is, of course, determined by the relative speed of rotation of such mandrel and the speed of traverse of the winding mechanism. As shown in Figs. 9, l0 and 11, it is preferred that these elements be wound upon the mandrel with the succeeding turns of tape overlapping each other intermediate the turns of wire with such wire covered by but a single layer of tape. The cords are Wound in the region of such tape overlap to substantially ll the valley between the turns of wire. Accordingly, when a braided covering 76 is subsequently applied to the hose, such covering is uniformly supported thereon and presents a smooth wrinkle-free exterior surface.

When handle 57 is moved to the Fig. 5 position as above described, it retracts shoe 53 and advances shoe 52 so that rollers 54, 54 are brought into engagement with mandrel 12 to brace and steady the latter adjacent to and in advance of the point of windi ng.

When saddle 13 and the winding mechanism have completed their traverse from left to right, limit switch 77 will be engaged by traveling nut 14 stopping the lathe. The operator then cuts the cords 26 and 27 adjacent the mandrel and cuts the tape just below guide disc 46. The loose end of tape remaining attached to the newly wound hose is then manually wrapped around the mandrel to secure the string and wire. The operator next severs the wire adjacent the mandrel and removes the mandrel from the lathe. Such mandrel with the hose thereon will ordinarily be taken to a curing oven where the rubber composition tape is cured and the finished hose thereafter stripped from the mandrel. By thus curing on the mandrel any substantial shrinkage in diameter is avoided, but there will be some slight shrinkage longitudinally. The braided covering 76 may now be applied in conventional manner.

As soon as the tubular mandrel 12 is removed from the lathe, it is replaced by another mandrel to which the end of wire 21 is similarly secured. Handle 57 is now moved to the Fig. 6 position shifting slide 60 as there illustrated. Tape 31 is drawn down through slot 51 and attached to the near side of the mandrel as viewed in Figs. l and 2, for example. As shown in Fig. 6, guide disc 46 will have been rotated 180 by the reciprocation of slide 60 so that holes 49 and S0 through which cords 26 and 27 pass are now outside slot 51. The ends of such cords are accordingly likewise secured to the mandrel on the near side (outside) of such tape.

The turning of handle 57 into Fig. 6 position has likewise operated to retract shoe 52 and to advance shoe 53 so that rollers 55, 55 now bear against and support the mandrel to the left of the winding station.

Such turning of handle 57 has also operated to rock lever 70 to shift slide 34 carrying the roll of tape 31 to the left so that such tape will approach the mandrel at the proper angle conforming to the winding pitch. Since .guide arm 41 for wire 21 is fixed slightly to the left of tape guide slot 51, the wire will be wound upon the 6 mandrel a fraction of a turn in advance of the application of such tape thereto. j

Lathe gear box l1 includes the usual reversing mecha anism (not shown) whereby such lathe may now be caused to operate in the reverse direction, causing mandrel 12 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and saddle 13 carrying the winding mechanism to traverse from right to left as viewed in Fig. l. The lathe is stopped when left-hand limit switch 77 is engaged. It will be apparent that the operation of our new apparatus may be substantially automatic, the operator interceding only when the lathe stops at the conclusion of each traverse to sever the tape, cords and wire and remove and replace the mandrel. Since the various components of our new tubing are wound upon the mandrel simultaneously and at the same travelingV station, the manufacture of such tubing is greatly expedited in contrast to prior art methods where a series of operations were required to be performed in sequence.

The tubing As above indicated, it is one object of our invention to provide a novel form of exible hose or tubing which will be uniformly flexible in all directions and which is adapted to have a braidedcover applied thereto which will present a pleasing and wear-resistant outer surface without any of the usual bulges or wrinkles therein. It is obvious that a variety of types of tape may be employed in accordance with our invention and such tape may be impregnated with neoprene (polychloroprene) or other plastic compositions instead of rubber. in fact, for some purposes such tape may be entirely of rubber, for example, without the employment of the usual Woven fabric material. Likewise, the wire employed may be the usual copper coated steel wire generally employed in the manufacture of exible tubing but may instead be any other form of suitable elongated reinforcing element such as other types of Wire and even certain of the more resilient synthetic plastics. The cord employed will be chosen to properly till the valleys or corrugations formed in the outer surface of the tubing between the turns of the reinforcing element and the number of turns of cord thus employed will ordinarily be determined by the width of such valleys. Thus, instead of the two spools of cord shown carried by upper saddle 18, a lesser or greater number may be provided as required.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 9, 10 and 1l, Fig. 9 shows the finished tubing partly enclosed in its braided casing 76. Prior to forming such tubing upon the mandrel, a short length of fabric 79 may be wrapped around end portions of the latter to be enclosed within the ends of the tubing 78 then wound thereon. As best shown in Fig. 11, which is an enlarged fragmentary View in cross-section of an end portion of such tubing, the individual turns of the tape 31 overlie the turns of wire 21 in but a single thickness and overlap in the valleys between such turns of wire. The turns of cords 26 and 27 will be seen to substantially fill such valleys between the turns of wire and therefore provide a suciently uniform outer surface to the tubing for application of the braided covering 76 thereon. The exibility of the finished tubing is considerably enhanced by thus causing adjacent turns of the tape 31 to overlap each other only at points intermediate the turns of wire and preferably the overlapping portions of such tape will be somewhat spaced from the turns of wire as shown to obtain maximum exibility. Th.` insert 79 facilitates the fitting of the end of the flexible tubing over a pipe, nozzle, or fitting 8G when soV desired.

The helical winding of the fabric tape will be seen to give a desirable bias lie to the threads thereof, further improving the strength and flexibility of the finished article. As the cords are wound upon the tape they assist in causing the latter to conform to the mandrel and in obaining a good adhesive bond beween the overlapping supportfemployed Lfathratban afsadtllelo such areversal offfuncion wouldffnecessitateffthuseof j Y catlon VSerial N 2S'V whichl is' soriobj'ectionable in YcertainYtypes-oflptici-art hose l Yortubing. And coupled iwitrhlthe .advantage's..offitsconstructionfis itsf low Vcostui 11:;anufactu'r're-`r .resulting from v Y Vouri improved;v method anduse-ofour noi/gel apparatus',

` Y layerfintermediatethe turns Y of jthe-` reinforcing element needfnot'ffgnecessarily-be drawn from afsupplyv transported Y f byfthe-saddle or carriage oftheapparatusbupmay Ybe 'Y Vsuch-wire'.` It hassbeenfoundfmore coizivenientfto'Y mount the:V spools or Ysones? of Y cord uponn the :carriage -to VVavoid Vobstruetingatzcless to'gthe; apparatus and `it'isfparticularly Vdesirable i-fthus -Vto mount` the spool o fstripgmaterial, or :tape to'- facilit-ateshifting. theffeed `ofthe=1attge1 t6 the-mam i v drel as'described. Y Y Y Theuse Yof the cordfrwindingllls Y the turns .of the reinforcing' element, therebyforming a relatively uniform outer surfaoefof vthe'f"tubing-1;suitable Y for the braiding of a'Wear-resi'stnt'andornamentaL-oyercovering materials may-be employed' suchjas certain 4syntheticV plastic; materialsaextrudvedf orfsprayedfonzsuchi sur;r

the valleys between Y oyerlapgtberbieiiposirigs saiil.wirefinternallygof tubingf'thu's forme'd aiplurality'of'lengths :Ofo'rd wound j about suoli tubingintemediate; the Qflsuhwire helix tightlyyonforminglothessurfaeelthusProvidedgbylsaid face. V'The cordiwinding-ipermitsgvretentionfozt a-gesired- Y Y degree of xibility in such-Vtubingzan'd istlteei'eforenordinarilyf preferredfbut others elongated :Telementsfsuchv asv While;rubberorsplastie-iinpregiated Woveixfabrieftape isY a very' satisfactory tube''vta'lll'materialfularims@other Y Y'stript materialsv may .bel utilized@ asfabove.aeiplaiied, and asuitable vbbiidilzlgr4 agent! or jce'ment-" may begappliedcsat l v the-Windingfstationto' 'secure the Loverlanping'2151111115:.to` j getller. Thetightly v'Woundouteri'cortl''wrapping riot l'only fills fthe' valleys between the wireturns .but, beingappli'ed substantiallyv simultaneously with thY-*Windin'gofheztape on the mandrel,.tightlypressesY thebverla'ppir'g portions of such tape :together ztogensurefthat a'fgodbtinchise'ob-" Y Y tained..

f. comprisin ai so g' upon said ,heli

fr 1f is amber-apparentent burfpwmaehineziaybe' employed inthezprodution f tubingforothe'rsesrthan Y vacuum-fcleanerflhosndfithe likezandbaecordinglyfthe cord orV equivalent wfappingfandvomerfbraideeevexfing may: :sometimes-'be omittef lifhe upper fandltitier saddl'e desirablyf lemployed# :nsuch ,-japparatusare :not

Y absolutely? ejssentialgalthough'proViling-iproyeti' rigidity 'Y and a singleicarriageotraelling*closelyldjacetiaitd Iparconsierably moreE 'orifspace.

necessarily 'flie :in vla 'shorizontlipl-'ane bufi's'la'oul dement; a'

' Y Q Wire 2vlieliggwithsuc'ceeding :turns sueh-stapovflapping ,each otherjnthevregioii inte-meateeturnsgofasuh Vwire only and being bonded together inV theY region 0f onsaid :overlapginggadjaeentleturns.Substalilly t9 turns-,of :Wire .-langrinterrn'ediafe leordfgwinding. 14 Y tape-coverecl turns; ofwir'eiad intermediate rgfoidvfV `indff ing.

posing f said ,Wire-internally, of .the tubingthus continuous, lenath lie-faible' tripla/all material inforcing-elenten fogly' an@ bein `"y: 'gether in the regiqnfofspchtoverlapifa,friluraityfof @9ni' gated filler .elements Moundgaboutftlie tubing-itvllusl.formed-V and-nestedinteniiediatthefturnsof such,freiufort'in`g., ele7iY 'V- l memfand '.onffsaihxetlapnns turns @flle kfillerelementsforcing(together aldV *n providing 'a'relati-uely; uniformroutergsurfacegfo *there-2 Y sultingptubingaandmeenten fishflyettiagfrflsxibls. @verV I Y enclosing and jcontaetin saidV wound. ,helix andY at Yleast Y l tinuouslength-of woven fabri` tapeheliqall Wound `11p valleys: :therebetwereni t t .-5: ;AsamewarticlLoffmaufaeture, ilegible-tubing @om prising agrheliqallwdis-posed V,reinforcixflg eleuint,

6. In a flexible tubing comprising a helicallydi'sprosed Y reinforcing element, a continuous length of ilexible strip wall material helically wound upon such first helix and supported thereby, with adjacent turns of said strip overlapping each other in a region intermediate and spaced from the turns of said reinforcing element, and an outer cover adapted to it tightly about said helix and strip assembly, the improvement comprising a plurality of elongated iiller elements spiraled about said assembly between the helix and on said overlapping turns of the strip, said ller elements pressing radially inwardly to bear one overlapping turn against the other and being sufficient in number substantially to ll the areas between the helix to a radial height substantially equal to the wound helix and provide a tubing having a substautiallyuniform radius longitudinally of the tubing, thereby avoiding bulges and wrinkles therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,478,083 Whitmarsh Dec. 18, 1923 1,969,203 Cadden et al. Aug. 7, 1934 2,176,762 Forbes Oct. 17, 1939 2,550,099 Vance Apr. 24, 1951 2,630,157 Smellie `Mar. 3, 1953 2,669,258 Spitz Feb. 16, 1954 

